Transgender Rights and Violence (Essay Sample)

Victimization of the Transgender Community Your name Department name, Institution name Course number: Course name Instructor’s name Due date Victimization of the Transgender Community The documentaries "Transgender Rights: The articles "A Decades-Long Struggle for Equality" and "Why Transgender Violence is an Underreported Crisis" provide real-life examples of hate crimes and victimization that were experienced by the transgender community, particularly transgender women of color. When analyzed through the lens of Leah Daigle's victimology concepts in "Victimology: The "Essentials," these true stories and visuals reveal the vicious cycle of multi-layered victimization that the current systems are unable to stop because of the prevalent cultural biases against transgender people. This critical analysis will cover how the issues portrayed in the videos complement and reinforce the arguments that Daigle makes about the need for empathetic, holistic reforms to victim services and the criminal justice system. Institutionalized Roots of Bias These documentaries have the dual purpose of unraveling the long story of discrimination and persecution that transgender people have faced for being who they are. The laws prohibiting cross-dressing and homosexuality also institutionalized the social stigma and perception of the group that Daigle discusses as a core reason for the hate crimes (Daigle, 2017). The films go back into history to tell how shepherding transgender activists, like Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, were critical to the LGBTQ equality breakthroughs like the Stonewall Uprising but always ended up excluded even from that society which was due to the deep-seated transphobia. Cycle of Victimization The wrenching personal testimonies demonstrate the devastating, cumulative effects of widespread discrimination and violence that Daigle’s victimology theories reveal. For instance, Lourdes Ashley Hunter’s story epitomizes what we have been studying in class—being raped, rendered homeless, and impoverished due to living as a transgender woman of color (Daigle, 2017). Such stories as these reveal those who experience hate crimes and abusive treatment firsthand. However, they also manifest the broader "cycle of victimization" that Daigle describes. The documentaries reveal how societal biases foster environments enabling further trauma, with transgender individuals routinely denied housing, employment, and access to public spaces (PBS NewsHour, 2019; Retro Report, 2015). This creates layers of other primary and secondary victims impacted economically, psychologically, and emotionally by the ripple effects of hate crimes. The videos make clear that this cycle will persist without tangible institutional changes. Imperatives for Reform Despite moving stories of resilience, the documentaries underscore how current systems are failing to protect transgender individuals and break the cycle of victimization. This aligns with Daigle's criticisms of criminal justice policies and her calls to restructure victim services to be more responsive and supportive of underserved communities like this one (Daigle, 2017). The harsh disconnect between growing mainstream representation and the daily threats and violence exposed in these videos indicates that true e...